


The Piano in the Corner

by Incoherentbabblings



Series: Tumblr Ask Game Prompts [2]
Category: Batgirl (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU (Comics), Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hey do you remember the piano in Tim's Red Robin apartment? I remember, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Pining, Post Red Robin #26, Romance, Stephanie Brown is Batgirl, Tim Drake is Red Robin, Tumblr Ask Box Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:00:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26995564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Incoherentbabblings/pseuds/Incoherentbabblings
Summary: Tim is not musically inclined. He's never attempted to play any instrument outside of messing around with a guitar his dad bought him once on a whim. So why, Stephanie ponders, does he have a grand piano in his Park Row apartment?
Relationships: Stephanie Brown/Tim Drake
Series: Tumblr Ask Game Prompts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1970230
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	The Piano in the Corner

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt:
> 
> _“You’ve gotta stop doing that.”_
> 
> _“What?”_
> 
> _“Saying things that make me want to kiss you.”_

“We’ll just be a second,” Tim stepped through the front door of his apartment, then looked back at Steph, who stood on the lip of the frame, not entering. “You can come in Steph.”

She smiled uncomfortably and followed behind. Her smile quickly became a gawk as she trailed behind Tim, entering the main living space. Stopping at the top of a small staircase to the sunken living room, she felt herself stare with a grimace at the apartment. The ceiling was two stories high, as a set of stairs led up to what she could only assume was his bedroom, creating a landing that overlooked the kitchen and living space. A modern looking light piece hung from the ceiling down. Family photos of Jack and Janet and Dana, hung on the walls, perfectly posed and arranged.

She blinked, staring at the fish tank. Did Tim even have time to feed the poor things?

Tim headed in the direction of the fish tank, rolling up his sleeve. Dipping it in the water, he pulled a lever hidden under the plants, and a wall gave way, leading to his own personal bat cave… bird cage…thing.

He looked towards Steph, who continued to hang back at the top of the stairs.

“I’ll just be a second. Make yourself comfortable yeah?” He shook the excess water of his arm and left without waiting for her reaction, the door shutting behind him as quickly as it had opened.

She gabbed like a fish, stepping slowly over the seating, hoping to just perch herself on one of the expensive pieces of furniture. She paused as she approached the chair, gazing off next to the fish tank.

A grand piano sat, perfectly clear of dust, lid up and, if she knew Tim as much as she thought, utterly unused.

She couldn’t help herself and wandered over. It was the real deal, beautiful and grand and…completely frivolous. Like almost everything else about Tim’s apartment.

She sighed angrily to herself. The stupid thing probably wasn’t even in tune.

She pressed the middle C, and felt her eyes bug out of her head. It sounded flawless to her. Growing frustrated, she quickly played the FACE keys, only to her continued befuddlement, the thing was perfectly in tune.

She sat down on the piano, raising both her fingers to the keys. She didn’t press any of them, and just let her hands rest on the ivories.

When she heard Tim’s cave door open, she let them drop off, a little despondent. Steph kept her eyes away from Tim, not seeing his face light up at the sight of her at the piano.

“Do you like it?” he asked. There wasn’t enough room on the bench for two people to sit, so he stood next to her. She felt his fingers brush her bare arm, and it was enough of a shock that she bolted upright.

“Why do you have a piano? Are you learning or…?”

Tim laughed, “Me? No… not musically inclined _at all._ ” He grew uncomfortable at her expression and swallowed. “Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but this place is kinda…”

“Rich?”

“Yeah!” he said too loudly, coughing to correct himself. “I just filled it with stuff I thought was fancy. You and Babs had taken over the cave, and I was _not_ going to be sharing the bunker with Damian, so I thought… why not live in style?”

Stephanie relaxed minutely.

So he’d just done it thoughtlessly. He’d probably forgotten their date after her father’s death. And why would he remember? She was the one who had done all the talking, all the ranting. But that moment in the piano shop… she had trusted him with one of her most painful memories. He had cried for her…

“And…” he continued. She tensed once more. “And I… I thought, maybe if you ever…” he choked on the words, unable to say them.

She waited for him to finish.

“I thought if you ever wanted to pick it up again, that you would want to do it somewhere you felt safe. _With_ someone…” he trailed off, and looked at the floor, scuffing his shoes. He suddenly looked very young to Stephanie.

“You’ve gotta stop doing that,” she whispered. Any louder and her voice would have cracked.

His face flushed red, and he looked deeply ashamed. “What?”

“Saying things that make me want to kiss you.”

He breathed harshly, his cherry scented breath disturbing her hair. She smiled brokenly.

“Do you?” he asked.

“Sometimes.” Leaning in, she saw Tim close his eyes.

She couldn’t bring herself to do it though, so instead pressed a closed mouth kiss to his cheek. She noticed him shudder and pressed her cheek to his in response. He nudged her back, leading to them practically nuzzling each other. She hated herself a little, feeling like she was maybe leading him on, but she reminded herself that Tim was an adult, and wasn’t bound to her any more than she was to him. Still, she couldn’t help but whisper a plea into his ear.

“Wait for me a little longer, okay?”

There was no pause in his reply.

“Promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Tumblr 15th January 2020.


End file.
